It
by Lysi
Summary: -"What is "it", you ask? Your worst nightmare, fry."- The man-fish tries to dissuade Link from finding the Ghost Ship. -Short little WindWaker one-shot, Link's POV.-
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Don't own Zelda. Freaks. 

It

It was a dark and stormy night.

Sounds typical, doesn't it?

But it's the only way to describe the evening when the King of Red Lions bumped the shore of Greatfish Isle. The setting sun was obscured by gray clouds, which were releasing torrents of rain. My tunic was already soaked through from hours of sailing through boiling waves during a steady drizzle. Now I felt like I'd never dry off.

I peered up at the remains of the islet. It looked like a giant had split the land in two with a mighty fist, leaving rocky formations to jut from the water like splinters of a ruined ship. I could barely make out an ancient Hylian symbol on one of the massive stones, one I recognized as a protection Jabun had used when he fled to Outset Island, my peaceful home.

I had been to Greatfish Isle before, but we had to leave quickly in pursuit of the ancient water-spirit. I had only caught glimpses of the ruins before we set sail again.

The moon was almost full tonight. According to my chart, something was going to happen here tonight. Something I didn't quite understand, but I needed to witness to gain the last of the Triforce charts.

"Why don't we ask the man-fish?" the King of Red Lions said in his deep, rumbling voice. I nodded, reaching for my bait-bag. I reached in and felt about for some little pellets and drew them out. They were so soggy it was more like having a handful of mud than bits of bait. Sighing and closing my bag, I cast the saturated bait into the sea.

After a moment of waiting, in which my limbs started to go numb from the cold, a dark shape made its way towards the bait. A grotesque, man-like face suddenly popped out from under the water.

"W-what are you doing here, fry?" the man-fish asked, its features twisted into an expression of fear.

"I need to ask you a question," I told it calmly.

"Go on, fry, but make it quick."

I paused, then forged on. "Something's supposed to happen here tonight. What is it?"

The man-fish burst out with an unearthly wail. "_Kyaah_!" it cried. "_It_ happens tonight!"

"What is… 'it'?" I asked it, a small flutter of terror gripping my heart.

"Over there," the creature gasped, gesturing with one fin towards the west. "Please, fry, say you're not going to look for _It_."

"But what _is_ it?" I cried in despair.

"Your worst nightmare," the man-fish said, its face distorted into a look of completely, agonized terror. With a tiny splash, it submerged and swam away.

The King of Red Lions turned to look gravely at me, his eyes solemn. Avoiding his gaze, I unfurled the sail and busied myself putting it up. Still without talking, we cruised to the west, slowly leaving the meagre safety of the shore.


	2. Paranoia

Okay, due to requests, I will write another chapter. )

It

The King of Red Lions turned his massive head again, his eyes boring into mine. I soon looked away, diconcerted as always by his ancient face.

"What do you think _it_ is?" I asked softly, breaking the silence. I could barely hear myself over the waves and wind, but I knew that he had understood me.

"I do not know," the Kind of Red Lions replied simply. I knew there was no point in further conversation, so I focused on the boiling seas ahead. The sun had set now, leaving us illuminated only by the pale moon. Its eerie light glinted off the waters, sending strange flashes of luminosity dancing across the waves.

A feeling of unease suddenly descended on me. I felt like there was someone watching, although there was no other boat nearby. I was overcome with paranoia; suddenly the ocean seemed too deep, and I became afraid of the strange beings that could be hiding in its depths. Imaginary shadows darted under the water's surface, grabbing for the King of Red Lions and cavorting around me.

I took a deep breath, struggling to overcome my terrified delusions. With the ominous feeling of being stalked, I continued to sail. The King of Red Lions tossed his head impatiently, like a wild stallion. I knew he felt it too.

"Stop," the King of Red Lions commanded. I ripped down the sail as fast as I could without damaging it, and steadied the sides of the boat. I wanted to keep moving, to leave my invisible stalkers behind. I wanted to jump out and swim, hoping that they wouldn't drag me down. Instead, I froze, keeping my stance rigid.

"Do you feel it?" I asked him, although I knew the answer.

"Look," the King of Red Lions rumbled, gesturing with his great head. I looked.

A glow seemed to be forming under the water; a paranormal light welling from somewhere under the surface. _No_, I thought to myself frantically. _I'm imagining it. It's just the moonlight._

The light grew slightly brighter, then began to emerge from under the water. I watched silently as the phantasm reared above us, taking no specific form. I knew it had seen me. I knew that I couldn't hide.

The apparition's shape began to shift, until I could make out a definite form. A ship. Blue balls of light swirled about the mast and decks as it began to sail, going somewhere and nowhere at the same time.

"Follow it," the King of Red Lions commanded.

"We can still escape," I said lamely, putting up the sail. The King of Red Lions didn't answer. Fumbling clumsily with the soaked guide ropes, I thought about setting our course.

I could go back to Greatfish Isle, give up, maybe wait another week and try again. I could huddle in one of the small, destroyed cabins and wait for morning. I would be safe.

"There are spirits on Greatfish Isle," the King of Red Lions said softly, as if reading my mind. "There are desolate souls among the rocks and broken houses. It is a haunted place. There are spirits everywhere."

I felt them now. They were dancing around me, shadows flitting through my vision. They were screaming and moaning silently, barely visible, but there.

I set our course to follow the ship.

Sorry I left you all at a cliff hanger. If anyone wants, I can put up a third and final chapter.


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